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Religion versus Atheism - it's all in the mind

The divide between religion and atheism is one that is becoming increasingly prominent in today's world, and also one that often appears to be absolutely irreconcilable. However, an under-the-surface look reveals that the chasm between these two positions is largely a result of our overreliance on our mental faculties, and that many staunch athiests and religious conservatives are more alike than either would care to admit.  read more »

How to listen to your own inner voice

Advertising, friends, relatives, world leaders, religious leaders, scientists - the world is full of different voices telling us we should do this thing or that, or we should go in this or that direction. In the midst of this cacophony, it is very easy to forget we have our own inner voice or conscience, which is acutely aware of our life's purpose and always tries to prompt us in the direction of our ultimate happiness.  read more »

How to create an oasis of calm inside your own heart

In today's fast-paced world, everyone from time to time looks for an 'escape' - time away in a place far removed from the hubbub of today's world. When thinking of such an escape usually some tranquil scenic location comes to mind far away from daily life . However, for thousands of years great sages and meditators have found that you can create a space of calmness inside yourself to take refuge in no matter where you are. What's more, this space of silence is nowhere else than inside your heart, the space in the middle of our chest we point to when we say 'this is me'. We have all been in this space from time to time, for example when we find ourself in a place of great beauty and suddenly feel at peace there; however, with practise you can enter into this inner refuge at will.  read more »

Seven steps to greater self-confidence

Lack of confidence is something which plagues us all at some time or another. Often, our confidence is eroded as we pass through adolescence and early adulthood, as we get experiences of failure which convince us we are not capable of doing something. Here are some common causes for lack of self-confidence and their suggested remedies:  read more »

Buddhism and Hinduism: do they contradict each other?

"In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true." - The Buddha

Many of the central tenets of Buddhism and Hinduism seem totally irreconcilable at first glance. The Buddha taught that all things were impermanent, where as traditional Indian belief is that beneath the impermanent world lies an eternal reality. Most Hindus believe in God in some form, whereas the Buddha was decidedly agnostic. However when one begins a practice of meditation in either tradition, one begins to go beyond the limiting mind which generates these contradictions and see that there is in fact a deep oneness of purpose between the two traditions, and that they are two paths which lead the same destination.  read more »

Lessons death can teach us about life

Losing a loved one is possibly the most heartbreaking and traumatic experience we will have to go through in our life - it is arguably the one experience that you can't type up a 'five easy tips to overcome...' article about. Time is a great healer though, and as the grief subsides we often emerge from the experience a wiser, more grounded person.  read more »

Sri Chinmoy 1931-2007: a lifetime of service

Yesterday, 11 October, my meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy passed behind the curtain of this mortal world, after a lifetime of service to humanity spanning 76 years. 43 of those years were spent in the West, tirelessly demonstrating his firm conviction that another, better world is indeed possible, if only we can all go deep within and find the strength to better ourselves. Tributes have flooded in from all corners of the globe, and their sheer variety is testament to the myriad ways in which Sri Chinmoy demonstrated his vision: some remember him for the volume and depth of his musical works, others for his groundbreaking achievements in athletics, and yet others for his work to break down the barriers of suspicion and distrust between countries and faiths and remind us of the eternal truth that the world is indeed one large family. Those who are fortunate enough to be his meditation students remember him for all these things and more, for he truly instilled in each one of us a deep and lasting awareness of the divine beauty that is at the core of each human being.  read more »